Cervical collar



Jan. 3, 1967 s. GRASSL CERVICAL COLLAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 27, 1964 INVENTOR. .S/MO/V GEHSSL A-rTaR/vEy United States Patent f This invention relates to new and useful improvements Y in cervical collars, and it has for its object to provide a collar that may be adjusted to several positions, according to the need of the wearer, while at the same time maintaining a fixed position once it has been adjusted.

The said invention comprises a double-frame collar in which the bottom member is of a substantially fiat shape permitting it to lie snugly against the chest of the wearer; thereby omitting the complicated and bulky material now found at the front of most cervical collars.

The upper frame member has a semi-rounded upward shape so as to provide a soft cushioned and pleasant support to the chin, while at the same time presenting a narrow and nicely looking front view, thereby avoiding the assumption of the wearer being treated for a heavy cervical or neck injury.

As this invention consists only of two thin, flat frame members, or pieces of metal, with two thin metal pieces connecting said frame members, the weight of the invention is rather negligible; and as the construction is very simple the cost of manufacturing the same should be proportionably low.

It is, however, suggested, in order to give an appropriate appearance to this finely constructed cervical collar, that the soft material for coating the frame members should be of an exquisite kind.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all views, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a similar view, but in a differently adjusted position, with the upper member arranged at an angle.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the invention.

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevational view of same.

FIGURE 5 is a somewhat exploded view of the connecting and adjusting means between the upper and the lower frame members.

FIGURE 6 is a transverse sectional view of the invention.

FIGURE 7 is a transverse sectional view of the upper frame member.

FIGURE 8 is a similar view of the lower frame member.

FIGURE 9 is a top plan view of the invention; while FIGURE 10 and 11 are detail views.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates an upper frame member of a cervical collar, and 11 the lower frame member of same.

The upper frame member 10 consists of a substantially flat semi-circular metal bar 12, as shown in FIG- URE 7, and which may be slightly bent; said bar is covered with a soft material 13, such as, for instance leather, with an inlay 14 therebetween of a soft springy material, such as foam rubber, whereby to give said frame member a pleasant surface for the chin to rest upon; as said, the frame member may be slightly bent so as to conform to the chin.

' The lower frame member 11, shown, in part, in FIG- URE 8, consists of a substantially flat semi-circular metal Patented Jan. 3, 1967 bar 15, slightly downwardly bent at its rear ends, as at 16, to conform to the'shoulder of a person; while the front of said metal bar .will'lie'. fiatupon. and engage the chest of the wearer, said metalbar is also covered with a soft material 17, such as leather, with an inlay 32 of foam rubber between the" leather and said bar.

The numeral 18 in FIGURE 3 shows the connecting means between the two frame members 10 and 11.

Said means consists, as shown in FIGURE 5, of a slightly inwardly bent strong metal piece 19 upon each side of the invention, encased in a solid piece 25 of suitable material, stitched as at 26 to form a sleeve for said metal piece 19.

The said metal piece is formed with eyelets 20 and 21 adapted to receive corresponding screws 20' and 21' which secure said metal piece 19 to the upper and lower frame members 10 and 11, respectively; while another eyelet 22, oblong in shape, is formed in said metal piece and adapted to receive a screw 22', which screws said metal piece to the upper frame member in an adjusted manner, as shown in FIGURE 3, assisted in this movement by the upper screw 20, which engages the eyelet 20 in such a manner as to permit a slight movement of the upper frame member 10; while the screw 21 through the lower eyelet 21 secures said metal piece fast to the lower frame member 11.

Straps of suitable material 29 are adjustably secured at both ends of the material 25 by means of metal fasteners 30; said straps have their loose rear ends secured together by well known adhesive means overlapped by an adjustable sleeve 31.

However, in order to support the head, when this is in a slightly forwardly bent position, a member 40 is mounted upon the strap 29, said member comprises a few elastic strips, as shown at 41 in FIGURE 11; said strips are separately encased in a leather envelope by stitches, as shown at 42.

I claim as my invention:

1. A cervical collar for wearing around the neck comprising a U-shaped upper frame member shaped to engage the jaw area of a patient, a U-shaped lower frame member shaped to engage the shoulder and sternum area of a patient in spaced relationship with said U-shaped upper frame member, a plurality of metal pieces secured adjacent the rear ends of said members and connecting said U-shaped upper and lower frame members while maintaining the U-shaped upper and lower frame members in spaced relationship, adjustment means disposed on said plurality of metal pieces for adjusting the position of the front end of said U-shaped upper frame member with respect to said lower frame member, each of said plurality of metal pieces being provided with a cover, and strap means connected to said covers for securing the cervical collar around the neck of the wearer.

2. The cervical collar in accordance with claim 1 wherein said U-shaped upper and lower frame members are padded.

3. A cervical collar in accordance with claim 2 wherein said adjustment means comprises an eyelet for fixing each metal piece to the U-shaped upper frame member, and an oblong eyelet spaced from said eyelet, said oblong eyelet being curved to permit said U-shaped upper frame member to be pivoted and thereafter fixed in position.

4. A cervical collar according to claim 3 wherein said straps are provided with a pad removably connected thereto.

said U-shaped upper and lower frame members are made of flat metal strips, a soft material encasing each of said members, and foam rubber disposed between said fiat metal strips and said soft material.

6. A cervical collar in accordance with claim 5 wherein each of said plurality of metal pieces are bent inwardly at their mid portions. 3

, References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 188,302 6/1960 Monf ardini; 12s 75 X 1,051,896 2/1913 Kirkpatrick 128-75 1,508,892. 9/1924 Mikalsen.

4 1,930,440 10/1933 Longfellow 12887.2 2,088,207 7/1937 Kaiser 27-25 X 2,389,690 11/ 1945 Schreiber 12887.2 2,874,468 2/1959 De Woskin 22 FOREIGN PATENTS 873,138 7/1961 Great Britain.

10 and Joint Surgery for October 1963, volume 45-A, No. 7,

page 46.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

15 J. W. HINEY, JR., Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CERVICAL COLLAR FOR WEARING AROUND THE NECK COMPRISING A U-SHAPED UPPER FRAME MEMBER SHAPED TO ENGAGE THE JAW AREA OF A PATIENT, A U-SHAPED LOWER FRAME MEMBER SHAPED TO ENGAGE THE SHOULDER AND STERNUM AREA OF A PATIENT IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID U-SHAPED UPPER FRAME MEMBER, A PLURALITY OF METAL PIECES SECURED ADJACENT THE REAR ENDS OF SAID MEMBERS AND CONNECTING SAID U-SHAPED UPPER AND LOWER FRAME MEMBERS WHILE MAINTAINING THE U-SHAPED UPPER AND LOWER FRAME MEMBERS IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP, ADJUSTMENT MEANS DISPOSED ON SAID PLURALITY OF METAL PIECES FOR ADJUSTING THE POSITION OF THE FRONT END OF SAID U-SHAPED UPPER FRAME MEMBER WITH RESPECT TO SAID LOWER FRAME MEMBER, EACH OF SAID 